Fire escapes

ABSTRACT

A fire escape which is inexpensively constructed, esthetically acceptable for an interior installation above an upper floor window, rapidly deployable, and easily operated. It consists of a rope with two leg loops which is loosely wrapped around a small circular spool whose axis is perpendicular to the wall above the window. The descent is controlled by varying the friction of the rope on the spool surface using a gravity actuated jam cleat. Unsupported, gravitational forces rotate the jam cleat to the closed position, i.e., a fail safe mode. The descent is initiated and controlled by the escapee with a lanyard which counteracts the gravitational forces. The device features a hook appropriately placed on the rope to assist in holding a blanket during descent as a measure of protection against flame from lower levels. It also includes a diverting rope which allows a ground observer to alter the downward path if necessary to avoid such flames.

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Wilhelm WIRE Efi'CAPES [76] inventor: John Raymond Wilhelm, 11605 SplitRail CL, Rockville, Md. 20852 [22] Filed: Nov. 26, 19711 [2!] Appl. No.:202,,1159

Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado A fire escape which isinexpensively constructed, esthetically acceptable for an interiorinstallation above an upper floor window, rapidly deployable, and easilyoperated. It consists of a rope with two leg loops which is looselywrapped around a small circular spool whose axis is perpendicular to thewall above the window. The descent is controlled by varying the frictionof the rope on the spool surface using a gravity actuated jam cleat.Unsupported, gravitational forces rotate the jam cleat to the closedposition, i.e., a fail safe mode. The descent is initiated andcontrolled by the escapee with a lanyard which counteracts thegravitational forces. The device features a hook appropriately placed onthe rope to assist in holding a blanket during descent as a measure ofprotection against flame from lower levels. It also includes a divertingrope which allows a ground observer to alter the downward path ifnecessary to avoid such flames.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures SHEET 2 (If 3 PAIENIEB AUG 7 I975 WOC M lfig INVENTOR PAIENTEIJ 3.150.843

SHEET 3 0f 3 FIG. VIII Q INVENTOR FIRE ESCAPES The basic object of myinvention is to provide a fire escape which can, within 30 seconds, be'made ready to safely carry out the sequential evacuation tothe ground ofone or more persons trapped in an upper story room, be they smallchildren, agile adults, or invalids.

It is another object of this invention to accomplish this with equipmentthat can be permanently installed above a bedroom window by a purchaserof reasonable intelligence and dexterity using tools which are commmonlyfound around a home.

It is another object of this invention that the installation be madeesthetically acceptable to the decor of the room in which installed.

It is another object of this invention that if installed during theconstruction of the residence, it can be used to replace the upperportion of the window trim without detracting from the. generalappearance of the window.

It is a very basic object of this invention that it be of soundprinciples but very simple construction such that it can be retailedsuccessfully at a price comfortably within the reachof the generalpublic. A sensible installation in a residence should include a fireescape in every bedroom on upper floors.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a means ofcontrolling the descent of a person either by a second person in theroom beingevacuated, by an observer on the ground, both in the eventthat the escapee is an invalid, or by the escapee himself duringdescent.

'It is another object of this invention to provide an-escape capabilitywith controls which, if released inadvertently in panic or any otherreason, will function immediately and positively to arrest the descentin a fail safe mode, avoiding the use of springs by employinggravitational forces.

It is another object of this invention to provide a means whereby aground observer can divert the downward path of the escapee away from alower window should the severity of the fire on a lower floor make itdesirable.

It is another object of this invention to facilitate the attachment of ablanket or similar object slightly above the position of the escapeewhich he then can hold about himself offering some measure of protectionfrom heat which may be issuing from windows or openings below.

In FIG. I I show a general interior view of the upper portion of abedroom window showing my invention in the installed and stored positionimmediately above the trim of the window. Were this device to beinstalled by a building contractor during construction, it could replacethe horizontal portion of the trim and be painted to match the remainderof it.

FIG. II is a similar, though smaller, view showing the device fullydeployed ready foruse.

FIG. III shows the device in the stored and installed position above thebedroom window but with the' FIG. VIII shows the blanket hook attachedto the descent rope.

The principle of the descent control mechanism depicted in FIG. IV isthat of varying the friction of turns of a soft descent rope 9 around afixed, non-smooth and non-rotating spool 2. As the descent rope 9 playsout in a clockwise action under the weight of the escapee, the amount offriction and therefore the speed of descent is varied by altering theease of supply of the rope to the spool 2 from the left. The greater theback drag, the greater the frictional resistance, and the slower therate of descent. The back drag of the descent rope 9 on the spool 2 iscontrolled by the position of the serrated surface 4 on the rotarywedging device or jam cleat 6 as it rotates around the jam cleat pivot 5under the influence of the position of the jam cleat lever arm 6. Thejam cleat surface 4 is so designed and positioned relative to the strongback 3 that when the jam cleat lever arm 6 is horizontal, the distancebetween the tips of the serrations of the jam cleat surface 4 and thesurface of the strong back 3 is slightly greater than the diameter ofthe descent rope which feeds thru this opening, completely defined tothe approximate size of the descent rope by the strong back cover 18..When the jam cleat lever arm 6 is completely unrestrained it is causedto rotate counter clockwise while supported on its washer 37 under thecombined resultant of its own weight and that of the weight of thebitter end of the descent rope 9 attached at the end of the jam cleatlever arm 6 at 34. This action causes the serrated teeth of the jamcleat surface 4 to contact the surface of the descent rope which ismoving upward thru the opening under the influence of the weight of theescapee, the descent rope 9 being held in proximity to these teeth bythe guide pin 42. This accentuates the counter clockwise rotation of thejam cleat surface 4 about the jam cleat pivot 5 rapidly reducing thespace between the teeth and the strongback 3 causing the rope to jam andstop. The action of the jam cleat can better be understood when the jamcleat surface 4 is compared to the circular construction line 36 in FIG.IV drawn as a radius from the pivot 5 for this purpose. The descentrope, confined to the spool surface by the spool support bracket 1 andthe spool cover 19, passes an appropriate number of turns around thespool moving outward from the surface of the spool support bracket 1where it is played off over a platform 8 of such height to preventjamming of the turns on the spool. Lateral movement of the descent rope9 on this platform 8 is restrained by a rope guide 35. The platform 8 isbeveled to reduce drag as the rope slides to pass through the openedupper sash of the escape window.

The forces which are causing the counter clockwise rotation of the jamcleat lever arm 6 are counteracted by a lanyard 16 whose downward pullacts thru an eye 15 mounted in the spool support bracket 1 and imparts aclockwise rotation to the jam cleat lever arm and serrated surface 4.Applying a downward thrust on the lanyard opposing the gravitationalforces on the jam cleat lever arm and the frictional pull of the descentrope on the serrated teeth varies the opening between the cleat surface4 and the strong back 3 and thereby changes the back drag of the descentrope on the surface of the spool, and accordingly controls the rate ofdescent. It is most significant that if for any reason the lanyard 16 isreleased during descent, prevailing gravitational forces act in acounter clockwise direction to jam the rope against the strongback,stopping the descent in a fail safe mode.

Turning attention to FIG. III we see my invention in a storedconfiguration with the spool support bracket cover 30 removed. Thiscover is supported in place by the cover supports 22 at each end and thespool cover 19 in the middle. At each end we find two slots 7 whichfacilitate attachment to the structure of the house by the use of lagbolts 43 and washers 44 into the centers of the studs 33 which supportthe window. These are to be accurately located by drilling small holesinto the area of the wall that will be covered by the spool supportbracket.

On the left side of the spool 2 we find the supply of the descent rope 9carefully folded back and forth beside the jam cleat lever arm 6. Thebitter end of the descent rope is attached to the lever arm at 34. Thereis to be found on the upper portion of either end of the left sidestorage area a nail 23 securely driven into the spool support bracket 1.Stretched between these two nails is a light piece of support string 40.The jam cleat lever arm and the stored descent rope are restrained byloops of a very light, easily broken restraint thread 25 which alsoencompass the support string 40. Laid within all of these loops of therestraint thread 25 there is a strong, flexible release wire 26 securelyfastened at the outer end to the release wire attachment point 45 andterminating by the spool 2 in a release ring 27 hanging freely andexposed below the total device. Materials and arrangements are to besuch that a strong downward pull to the left will positively break allof the restraining threads 25 to allow the stored material to fall free.The lanyard 16 of very light but strong fire resistant material isattached to the jam cleat lever arm 6 at the lanyard attachment point14, routed up thru the lanyard eye mounted appropriately in the upperportion of the spool support bracket 1 and then routed thru the wristloop 21 and then to the lanyard dowel 17 for storage.

The storage arrangement on the right side of the spool 2 is identicalwith nails 23, support string 40, restraint thread 24, release wire 26and release ring 28. Contained for storage on this side are found thenine feet of descent rope 9, two canvas leg loops 10, the lanyard 16stored on the lanyard dowel 17, and the diversion rope 12 on thediversion rope dowel 13.

FIG. II is a general view of the interior of the bedroom window with theinvention mounted directly above the window trim 38 shown in a deployedcondition. It is best understood by tracing the sequence of placing thedevice into operation. The upper sash 29 of the window is lowered. Theleft release ring 27 is pulled down and to the left, pulling against therelease wire attachment point 45, to break or otherwise remove therestraint thread 25. The descent rope falls to the floor 32 and the jamcleat lever arm 6 rotates under its own weight as well as that of thebitter end of the descent rope attached at the attachment point 34 untilthe jam cleat surface engages the descent rope. The right release ring28 is pulled down and to the right against its attachment to thediversion rope attachment point 11 causing the release wire 26 on thisside to break the restraint thread 24 and permit the nine feet ofdescent rope 9 stored on this side of the spool 2, the two canvas legloops 10, the lanyard 16 wrapped around the lanyard dowel 17, and thediversion rope 12 wrapped around the diversion rope dowel 13, all tofall free. All

of the items released by the pull of the right release ring 28 areimmediately thrown out of the upper opening of the window. Brushingaside all of these ropes to the left side of the opening a pillow 31 orother available object is then placed along the right side of the windowframe and both the upper sash 29 and the lower sash 39 are raised to apoint where they are in contact with the pillow. The pillow functions toassure that the motion of the ropes is not impeded by the windows in thefull up position. The lanyard 16 unwinds from the lanyard dowel 17 untilthe dowel strikes the ground. It is imperative that the lanyard lengthbe greater than the installed height above the ground in order that thedowel will rest on it and not act gravitationally to negate the failsafe action of the jam cleat lever arm. The diversion rope l2 unwinds ina similar manner from its dowel 13 and being routed thru the wrist loop21 and the leg loop eye 41 is available to permit a ground observer todivert the path of descent of the rescue away from lower openings shouldthat be necessary. For this reason the diversion rope should be at least15 feet longer than the anticipated installation height above theground. The 9 feet of descent rope and the leg loops are immediatelyretrieved thru the lower window opening. There is 9 feet to permit theescapee to easily and comfortably place his legs into the loops 10, onein each loop, pulling them snugly up to the crotch. These loops are tobe made of soft one inch wide canvas to facilitate stowage and allow adegree of comfort in the descent process. About three feet above the legloops in the descent rope there is found a wrist loop 21. The escapeeputs one hand thru this loop and seats himself on the window sill, headand body outside facing inward. The slack portion of the nine feet ofthe descent rope originally available is taken up by pulling down on thedescent rope hanging just inside the window. When the slack is taken upthe person lifts himself out of the window. The first motion downwardlocks the cam cleat surface 4 against the descent rope. Descent isinitiated by pulling down on the lanyard 16. In order that the lanyardbe always accessible it is threaded thru the wrist loop 21 and can beoperated by the hand passed thru the wrist loop. The diversion rope 12is anchored to an attachment point 11 on the spool support bracket 1 andis passed thru the wrist loop 21 as well as a leg loop eye 41 in the legloops 10 in order to divert the descent route from below.

Attached to the descent rope about l8 inches above the wrist loop isfound a spring closed hook 20 such that it will not become entangledwith the ropes in the stowage mode but at the same time would easilypermit a blanket or other large area cloth material to be forced downonto it. This is shown more clearly in FIG. VIII. If there is intenseheat below, a blanket so attached and held about the head and body wouldoffer some measure of protection from the flames and radiant heat duringdescent.

I claim:

1. A flat elongated structural element permanently installable on theinside wall surface of a room above a window, having its major axisparallel to the top of said window, and which mounts on its planesurface which is essentially parallel to said wall,

a. a non rotatable spool attached to said structural element at one endthereof with the major axis of said spool perpendicular to said surfaceof the mounting structural element,

b. a fixed block member adjacent to said spool whose plane surface whichfaces away from the spool is perpendicular to the major axis of saidstructural element,

c. an opening which is defined on three sides by the plane surface ofsaid fixed block member, the surface of the mounting structural element,and a movable surface which is perpendicular to the plane of saidmounting structural element,

d. a means to selectably vary the location of said movable surfacerelative to said fixed block member thereby controlling the size of thesaid opening between the surfaces,

and a flexible support means of a length sufficient to reach from itsinstallation point to the ground which is reaved thru said variableopening, thense as several turns around the non-rotating spool andterminating in a flexible means for supporting a person during descent.

2. A fire escape in accordance with claim 1 wherein the controllablemeans for varying the opening between said movable and fixed surfacesconsists of a device which is pivoted about a circular stud affixed tothe elongated mounting structure on the opposite side of the fixed blockmember from the spool, the end of said device facing said fixed blockmember being terminated in a non-circular, serrated surface, the shapeof which being such that rotation of the device which move said serratedsurface upward reduces the space between said surfaces and the form ofthe serrations being such that contact with the flexible support meansmoving upward thru the opening causes the serrated surface to engage andmove with it while downward motion of the flexible support means takesplace with no interaction with said serrations, the other end of saiddevice being of such length and mass that the total balance around thepivot under the influence of gravity alone would create a rotation whichwould reduce the size of said opening, but with an opposite rotation ofthe device being introducible by means of a lanyard being attached to itand operated thru an eye on the elongated structural element above thedevice.

3. A fire escape in accordance with claim 1 wherein means are providedto vary the descent path of the escape comprising a second flexiblesupport means of greater than sufficient length to reach the ground wheninstalled firmly secured at one end to a point on the flat elongatedstructural element and the other end being threaded thru an eye or othersuitable restraint attached to the basic fire escape in the vicinity ofthe device for supporting the escapee.

4. A first escape in accordance with claim 1 wherein the flexiblesupport means has secured to it about 6 feet above the device forsupporting the escapee, means for rapidly and positively attaching ablanket or other protective material'as an element of protection fromdanger during descent, said means consisting of a hook device with aspring closure over its opening to preclude entanglement with associatedelements during storage. I! i l! l

1. A flat elongated structural element permanently installable on the inside wall surface of a room above a window, having its major axis parallel to the top of said window, and which mounts on its plane surface which is essentially parallel to said wall, a. a non rotatable spool attached to said structural element at one end thereof with the major axis of said spool perpendicular to said surface of the mounting structural element, b. a fixed block member adjacent to said spool whose plane surface which faces away from the spool is perpendicular to the major axis of said structural element, c. an opening which is defined on three sides by the plane surface of said fixed block member, the surface of the mounting structural element, and a movable surface which is perpendicular to the plane of said mounting structural element, d. a means to selectably vary the location of said movable surface relative to said fixed block member thereby controlling the size of the said opening between the surfaces, and a flexible support means of a length sufficient to reach from its installation point to the ground which is reaved thru said variable opening, thense as several turns around the nonrotating spool and terminating in a fLexible means for supporting a person during descent.
 2. A fire escape in accordance with claim 1 wherein the controllable means for varying the opening between said movable and fixed surfaces consists of a device which is pivoted about a circular stud affixed to the elongated mounting structure on the opposite side of the fixed block member from the spool, the end of said device facing said fixed block member being terminated in a non-circular, serrated surface, the shape of which being such that rotation of the device which move said serrated surface upward reduces the space between said surfaces and the form of the serrations being such that contact with the flexible support means moving upward thru the opening causes the serrated surface to engage and move with it while downward motion of the flexible support means takes place with no interaction with said serrations, the other end of said device being of such length and mass that the total balance around the pivot under the influence of gravity alone would create a rotation which would reduce the size of said opening, but with an opposite rotation of the device being introducible by means of a lanyard being attached to it and operated thru an eye on the elongated structural element above the device.
 3. A fire escape in accordance with claim 1 wherein means are provided to vary the descent path of the escape comprising a second flexible support means of greater than sufficient length to reach the ground when installed firmly secured at one end to a point on the flat elongated structural element and the other end being threaded thru an eye or other suitable restraint attached to the basic fire escape in the vicinity of the device for supporting the escapee.
 4. A first escape in accordance with claim 1 wherein the flexible support means has secured to it about 6 feet above the device for supporting the escapee, means for rapidly and positively attaching a blanket or other protective material as an element of protection from danger during descent, said means consisting of a hook device with a spring closure over its opening to preclude entanglement with associated elements during storage. 